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Episode 1584 (9 March 1998)
Synopsis Susan Rose returns to work, despite Michael's concern. Ian chases Tony and begs him to use any influence he has to stop the photo of him attacking Nick appearing. Tony says it all depends whether there are any more newsworthy stories this week, and it's also all Max's decision what gets printed. Mary receives lots of cards and money on her 18th, and Pauline presents her with a tasteful gold necklace from Mark, Ruth and herself. Mary loves it, but she notices that she hasn't got a present from her father yet. Pauline tells her that they'd like to take her out for a posh meal, but Mary says she'd prefer a little party in the Vic if that's OK. She goes to see Mark and tell him the news, and says that she can't invite Matthew because they're not talking after he was so stupid yesterday with his story about Sandra. She and Mark hatch a plot. Meanwhile, Conor goes to Matthew to buy some CDs, asking what Mary would like. Matthew is unhelpful, as he's still sulking about her. Conor sees Mary and hands her the hastily-bought CDs, saying her real present is yet to come but had to be sent away so will arrive later. She is unimpressed, saying that she doesn't have a CD player, so they're no use. After she leaves, Mark admonishes Conor - I did remind you. Conor says he DIDN'T forget, her present had to go away to be engraved. Mary goes off to buy a grown-up looking dress from Simon on the stall with her birthday money. Roy is busy trying to sort out the car lot after Barry's disastrous management period. Nigel's assistant in the video shop has left and Robbie overhears him tell Grant he needs another one desperately, so Robbie goes in later to apply. Nigel is reluctant, but says he will let Robbie know. Mary's plan unfolds, as Mark tells Matthew that some good-looking bird called Sandra was looking for him. Matthew looks confused. Mark says she went into the café. In the café he asks Kathy if anyone has been looking for him, and Ruth takes him aside and says that Sandra was looking for him but he's just missed her. Matthew is told to meet Sandra in the Vic at 10pm. Meanwhile, his parents have arranged to go out, but when Susan gets home from work she just falls asleep, so Michael and Matthew get a take-away and stay at home, although Matthew acts very edgy and Michael guesses he has a date with Sandra. Mary gets ready for the party wearing her necklace from the Fowlers, when Conor arrives with her real present. It's a locket, engraved with her name. He tells her to put it on, but she says she has already decided to wear this necklace for the night, but his is lovely, too, really. Conor is very annoyed by now. At 10pm, Mary is nervous and Mark tells her not to worry, as Matthew has 5 minutes left. Conor buys champagne, and everyone celebrates, with even Pauline drinking some, and getting tipsy. Mark gives Mary his keys, and she slips off. At the Rose's household, Susan has just woken up and insists that they go out as planned, to the Vic. Matthew arrives to be told by Ruth that Sandra was here looking for him but she's gone back to their house now. Matthew follows the trail and Mary answers the door. He says he might have known it was her, and she invites him in to admit that there is no Sandra. She asks why on earth he invented her, and he says it was because he couldn't compete with Mary's tales of her older man. She says it's ridiculous, because she's new to this too, and does she really have to spell it out "Mary fancies Matthew." He looks amazed and says do you really? She says yes, and they get down to a snog straight away, with more to follow as Mary provides Matthew with his first sexual encounter in almost as contrived a situation as she did Joe. Afterwards, she says she hopes he didn't think she was fast, having the condoms ready there. Mark notices that Mary has been gone longer than the planned 10 minutes and he slips out of the Vic to take a quick look across to the house. Conor notices Mark leave, and that Mary is also gone, and is very suspicious after all the secretive little meetings they have had recently. He goes over to the house in a temper, and bursts in on Mary and Matthew having a post-coital hug. Unfortunately he immediately notices the Mates packet too and waves it at her asking what she thinks she's doing, and threatening Matthew for taking advantage of her now that she's had a few drinks. Matthew is again thrown out of Mary's company and threatened. Mary is furious and says he has no right to tell her what to do now she is 18, and he was never even a proper father when she was a child. He apologises, but she says that Mark has been more of a father to her in the short time she's been here than he ever was. Conor is furious and sounds about 80 as he tells her that there's nothing fatherly in Mark's attention, and she doesn't realise the effect she has on men. She runs out to find Matthew, who is furious that yet another of her family has sent him packing, and asks her if it was a bet that she could get laid on her birthday and obviously everyone knew about it - Conor, Mark, etc. and he hopes they all had a good laugh at his expense. She says it wasn't like that at all, and she really meant everything she said and what he said was really sweet too. Matthew tells her he didn't mean it, and he just said it because it was expected. Credits Main cast *Susan Rose - Tilly Vosburgh *Ian Beale - Adam Woodyatt *Tony Hills - Mark Homer *Mary Flaherty - Melanie Clark Pullen *Pauline Fowler - Wendy Richard *Mark Fowler - Todd Carty *Conor Flaherty - Seán Gleeson *Matthew Rose - Joe Absolom *Simon Raymond - Andrew Lynford *Roy Evans - Tony Caunter *Robbie Jackson - Dean Gaffney *Nigel Bates - Paul Bradley *Kathy Mitchell - Gillian Taylforth *Ruth Fowler - Caroline Paterson *Michael Rose - Russell Floyd Category:Episode Category:1998 Episodes